The conclusion of the season for Leicester City in the Championship is expected to be tense.
Despite a strong start, their promotion to the Premier League, once seemingly assured, is now uncertain. Their performance has notably declined since the beginning of the year.
A recent 1-0 defeat to Millwall, courtesy of Ryan Longman’s impressive second-half goal, further highlights their struggles.
Nevertheless, Enzo Maresca’s team remains at the top of the table, tied on points with Ipswich Town in second place and one point ahead of Leeds United in third. Additionally, they have a match in hand over both of their closest competitors.
The Foxes return to action on Friday night at Home Park against Plymouth Argyle, and striker Tom Cannon will be anxious to play.
Cannon has struggled since joining Leicester in the summer, and he may wish he had joined another interested party, Norwich City, rather than moving to the King Power Stadium.
Tom Cannon may regret joining Leicester City instead of Norwich City
Cannon garnered significant attention from Championship clubs during the summer transfer window following an impressive loan stint at Preston North End in the latter half of the previous season. During this period, he recorded eight goals and one assist in 21 appearances across all competitions.
Several clubs including Preston, Norwich, Sunderland, Blackburn Rovers, Stoke City, Birmingham City, Sheffield Wednesday, Leeds United, and Middlesbrough expressed interest in Cannon. However, Leicester emerged as the victors in securing his services, finalizing a £7.5 million deal in September.
Due to a back injury, Cannon had to wait until December to make his debut for Leicester. He displayed promise with three goals in two matches against Huddersfield Town and Millwall in early January.
Despite this initial success, Cannon has seen limited opportunities since then, with Maresca favoring Jamie Vardy, Kelechi Iheanacho, and Patson Daka over him. Maresca has mentioned the challenge of including all four strikers in the matchday squad, and despite returning to fitness recently, Cannon was omitted from the squad for games against Birmingham City and Millwall.
This lack of chances is worrisome for Cannon, especially considering Leicester’s struggles in front of goal in their recent poor form. It raises doubts about his future prospects with the club.
With Vardy and Iheanacho’s contracts expiring in the summer, and uncertainty surrounding Daka’s future at the King Power Stadium, Cannon might find himself with more opportunities in the upcoming season.
However, if Maresca doesn’t have faith in Cannon’s ability to score crucial goals for promotion, it’s unlikely he’ll see increased playing time should Leicester secure promotion to the Premier League. If any of Vardy, Iheanacho, or Daka leave, Leicester would need to find replacements, potentially pushing Cannon further down the pecking order.
While Cannon may not have been guaranteed a starting role ahead of players like Ashley Barnes and Josh Sargent, he would likely have had better prospects for regular playing time at Norwich, fitting well with their style of play.
Norwich reportedly made a £7 million bid for Cannon late in the summer transfer window, close to Leicester’s fee. While joining Leicester is understandable, Cannon might regret not choosing Carrow Road.
These regrets could intensify if Leicester misses out on promotion while Norwich secures a spot in the top flight, with David Wagner’s team currently holding the final play-off position.
Despite signing a five-year contract with Leicester, Cannon possesses the talent to become a pivotal player for the club in the future. However, as he continues to be overlooked by Maresca, speculation arises regarding a potential move this summer.
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